


The Beating Of A Metal Heart

by vanmerthur



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Happy Ending, Isolation, Loneliness, M/M, Magic, Non-Graphic Violence, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-08-11
Packaged: 2017-12-23 04:45:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanmerthur/pseuds/vanmerthur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uther and Gaius have been experimenting on magical beings for many years: Merlin is their greatest achievement. Living as a machine, without the slightest hint of humanity but with great power to fill the emptiness of emotions, Merlin has mastered what none have been able to do before him: control the city raw energy.<br/>They all agree that a great destiny awaits him.</p><p>But then Arthur Pendragon gets in the way... and "living" acquires a whole new meaning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beating Of A Metal Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I've got a big part of the story already planned and I'm working on the other bits, but I hope to get more inspiration with the help of the readers.  
> I'm sorry for any mistake, English is not my first language: any BETA help is welcomed!  
> (also, being my first work on A03 I'm not sure about formatting, so any hint would be precious!)

Merlin had grown to be indifferent to the world outside.  
It had been hard at first: too much life, too many people, too many voices with too many thoughts. Life, Merlin thinks, should be as mathematics: defined structure, immediate logic. People should all live in small rooms with white walls, no sounds but their breathing and leave it at that.  
But no. Life had to complicate things and create paradoxes. Where birth and death meddled with each other, laughter became crying, hate and ignorance got the best part of the bargain and lust could make people lose their mind.  
And then there was _love_. Now, what on earth was that all about? Merlin had often tried to give a label to the feeling, but Gaius never offered an explanation that didn't involve a lash on his back. He used to say 'Do not mess with things that do not concern you boy', and Merlin _had_ to obey because that was something he could understand.

The young Merlin had grown up with the knowledge of being _special_ and being _special_ meant to be different which, as Gaius always repeated, required a _special_ education.  
Merlin was born in a small city called Ealdor, raised by his mentor Mr Gaius Wilson, a man who had taught him everything he was.  
Since his very first breaths apparently, Gaius (as he was later allowed to call him) was there to teach him how to open and close his eyes, keep his magic at bay and eventually grow up as an educated boy. He was his true guardian, his third leg, arm and hand in everything his early years required.  
Merlin didn't remember having a mother, and rightly so, since mothers were only means by which babies were born. Their interest in their infants died with their birth. Another paradox, he thought.  
Gaius had showed him what he truly was: a tool of power, to be used and abused only by what his guardian called the "best men". Merlin looked forward to that.  
By the age of 8 the young boy was struggling to recognize and accept his place and role in society; he was still weak, still attached to that pesky humanity and Gaius was obbligated to punish him by remind him of his true purpose, the very reason he existed. He went hard on him when Merlin wouldn't listen.  
But that was his duty and Merlin knew he was being impatient and annoying, which meant he was still very _human_.  
'Until you're ready Merlin' Gaius had once said, between the punishing lashes.

Merlin couldn't see or meet with any other person from the outside that weren't previously chosen by Gaius himself.  
'They wouldn't understand you', the old man had said 'and surely you would end killing each other. This is for your own good Merlin'. So another lesson Merlin had learnt was to keep his head down, and only trust what his mentor thought was the best for him.  
Merlin would only practice contact with the men that brought Gaius the weekly supplies he needed. He felt a strong displeasure for the boy of the newspapers. The guy gave him odd looks whenever Merlin tried to talk to him, ask him things and one day, feeling very upset he had accidentally set him on fire under Gaius's eyes. It took him a lot of time to recover, from both the shock of what he had done and Gaius many punishments. He was only ten.  
He pleaded Gaius to help him understand how to be with people without feeling helpless and cornered.  
'There's but one rule you need to keep in mind when you feel like they're about to own you' said Gaius pointing his index at his chest 'you have the power, they don't'.

19 years, 6 months, 13 days. Merlin was ready: he was the perfect machine.

\- - -

It was a sunny day when Gaius came into his white room announcing he would meet the Others (other magical beings), and that after that day Merlin would have belonged to another mentor. He would be owned by a _best man_.  
When Merlin met the Others, he could not found any similarities at all. They weren't like him... they were scared. They looked horrified. He couldn't tell of what, but from what he sensed it was possible that they were scared of themselves.  
'You see, some of them are younger than you are and some others are not strong enough to contain their powers, or to dominate them. You have managed well Merlin, you grow stronger. I think he will be proud of my work." Gaius said, rubbing his hands together and diverting his eyes to the door.  
Merlin looked around. They were so weak. Some of them where sitting on the ground, sniffling on someone's shoulder, others were tapping their foot on the floor waiting impatiently for the best men to come. Merlin stood in a corner, arms crossed, and a very attentive look on his face. No movement could get pass him, no boy or girl could hide from his sight. Gaius had taught him how to have the complete control of the environment around him, and he was testing it for the first time on a stranger field.  
Three people came into the room. Merlin sensed no one of them had the magic, but their exterior was menacing enough, especially the one in the center, which soon approached Gaius, shaking his hand.  
'How nice to see you my old friend' the man greeted his mentor.  
'Likewise Uther' had replied Gaius.

Uther. Merlin had never heard this name before. Not in any phone conversation or from any of his studying files. One of these men had to be his new mentor, and Merlin would bet this Uther might be the man.

Staring at Merlin for a few seconds he spoke again: 'Is this the boy?'  
'Yes, indeed he is'  
'Looks a little bit scrawny for my liking' Uther said observing Merlin.  
'Well I believe you know that his power does not reside in his body but in his mind, Uther'  
"I hope you're right Gaius, I do not wish to have invested thousands of money in a failing project'  
'I'm sure your expectations will not be disappointed'  
Uther turned to the other boys and girls and nodding toward them said: 'What about them?'  
'Well I do believe someone will find them useful... or at least they'll find my work worth another show with them. In a few years they'll probably be able to reach Merlin's level if they are educated enough".  
"Good. Dispose of them as you wish. If you say the boy is as good as we hoped, then I have no use for them".  
He then nodded to the other two people who came in with him and gestured to grab Merlin. Before they had the chance to reach him, Gaius approached his pupil and whispered: 'As you might have guessed this is your new mentor. I don't think I'll have to refresh you the protocol considering you've been preparing yourself for the past 10 years about how to behave in this circumstance , do I Merlin?"  
'No, sir, you don't' Merlin promptly replied.  
'Good. Now get in the car with these people and be a good boy" he then patted lightly on his shoulder. Something he had only done once, when he had managed to give light to the whole building just with the power of his mind. Gaius had never looked more happy.  
Merlin nodded and with his hands behind his back he headed off the door with the two gorillas, following the man with the long coat, his new mentor: Uther Pendragon.


End file.
